Fireworks and Montenegro

July 3, 2006 Japan 3 Comments

The Forth of July is an interesting holiday for me this year. Having never been one to celebrate it with much fanfare in the past-a few fireworks, a hot dog, and friends is about as far as I have ever gone-I find myself now far from home and with a new perspective on our nation’s birthday.

I wouldn’t exactly consider myself an expat at this point-I have always thought that to be deserving of that title, my sojourn would have to be much longer, even permanent-but when I left the US, I did so with not a little anger at how my country has been acting for the last few years.

Today is an opportunity for me to love my country without feeling like I must love its administration to do so. The ideals on which America was founded are still there, no matter how twisted politicians controt them in the name of Wartime Powers.

Living in a forign country is not easy, but it is rewarding. One of the greatest rewards is the multiculturalism and broader world view that one must aquire or else become too jaded to see and grow. In all of my internationl travels, I have found that one of the best feelings I have experienced is a certain pride at being an American; not an arrogant, holier than thou attitude that I have seen in many other westerners in places like India and Madagascar, but a pride at the ideals on which America was founded and the oportunity for me to express them, as a diplomat for my country, to people who might only think of America as a great internation oppressor.

In keeping with my continual desire for a broader world view, Nicole and I have been playfully looking at the cost of rent in the newest UN member country, Montenegro. Appartments are pretty cheap, and we might be able to live there for a while on the money we make here, but it is utter speculation and dreaming at this point. Both of us are torn each day between the money of Japan, the romance of Europe, and the call of home, we don’t know where we will be a year from now, but we know we won’t be in Gunma.